U.S. patent application number 15/713675 was filed with the patent office on 2019-03-28 for method and machine for quality control inspection of pinch bottom and flat bottom bags.
The applicant listed for this patent is Libanio S. Almeida, Luis DeOliveira, Steve Kohn. Invention is credited to Libanio S. Almeida, Luis DeOliveira, Steve Kohn.
Application Number | 20190091958 15/713675 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 65806387 |
Filed Date | 2019-03-28 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190091958 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kohn; Steve ; et
al. |
March 28, 2019 |
METHOD AND MACHINE FOR QUALITY CONTROL INSPECTION OF PINCH BOTTOM
AND FLAT BOTTOM BAGS
Abstract
A method and machine for visual inspection of bags for quality
control, in particular providing a way to inspect pinch bottom bags
and flat bottom bags continuously exiting a production line,
without the need to stop or delay the production or movement of the
bags.
Inventors: |
Kohn; Steve; (Short Hills,
NJ) ; DeOliveira; Luis; (Lanoka Harbor, NJ) ;
Almeida; Libanio S.; (Freehold, NJ) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Kohn; Steve
DeOliveira; Luis
Almeida; Libanio S. |
Short Hills
Lanoka Harbor
Freehold |
NJ
NJ
NJ |
US
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
65806387 |
Appl. No.: |
15/713675 |
Filed: |
September 24, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B31B 70/006 20170801;
B31B 70/96 20170801; B31B 70/98 20170801 |
International
Class: |
B31B 70/00 20060101
B31B070/00; B31B 70/98 20060101 B31B070/98 |
Claims
1. A method for visually inspecting individual pinch bottom and
flat bottom bags wherein a stack or multiple stacks of bags is
received from a bag machine, comprising: receiving a stack or
multiple stacks of bags from a bag machine; moving said stack or
multiple stacks of a predetermined number of said bags on to a
receiving table; moving said stack or multiple stacks of said bags
to a separate machine for forming packs or bundles of said bags;
moving a sample of said stack or multiple stacks of said bags in a
horizontal and perpendicular direction from direction of advance
onto an adjacent platform to said receiving table; visually
inspecting said sample of a stack or multiple stacks of bags;
returning inspected bags that pass quality requirements to a
staging area so said bags are moved to said machine for forming
packs or bundles of bags.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said bags are oriented
horizontally in said stack.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said bags are oriented vertically
in said stack.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said stack or multiple stacks of
bags is moved from said receiving table to a machine for forming
packs or bundles of bags through the use of a robotic arm.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said stack or stacks of bags is
moved onto an adjacent platform for inspection by a separating
device which moves a dual stack of bags.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein said separating device comprises
one or more protrusions.
7. The method of claim 5 wherein said separating device does not
interfere with receipt of additional stack or multiple stacks of
bags moving in horizontal oriented direction of advance by being
retractable.
8. The method of claim 5 wherein said movement of said stack or
multiple stacks of bags to said adjacent table does not hinder or
delay said advancement of subsequent stacks of bags.
9. The method of claim 1 where said stack or multiple stacks of
bags on said adjacent platform to said receiving table are removed
for visual inspection.
10. The method of claim 1 where visually inspected bags are moved
to a machine for forming packs or bundles of bags without
interfering with horizontal oriented direction of advance of
another stack or stack of bags.
11. The method of claim 9 where inspected bags are placed in a
drawer in a plane perpendicular to oriented direction of advance of
said stack or stack of bags onto said receiving table from said bag
machine.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein said drawer comprises multiple
holding areas.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein said holding areas are
adjustable to hold different size bags.
14. The method of claim 11 where movement of said stack or multiple
stacks of bags from said drawer is through use of a robotic
arm.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein said visual inspection is done
manually by a machine operator.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein said moving of said stack or
multiple stacks to a recovery table is done by use of a conveyor
belt.
17. The method of claim 1 further comprising wrapping together said
stack of bags to form packs or bundles.
18. The method of claim 1 further comprising removing said sample
of said stack or multiple stacks of said bags if said bags are
defective.
19. The method of claim 1 wherein said stack of bags is inspected
by a device such as a sensor.
20. The method of claim 1 wherein said method is used with other
stacked items such as paper.
21. A machine for offline visual inspection of bags without
disturbing bundling of bags from a bag machine comprising: a
receiving table on which a stack or stacks of bags are transferred
from a bag machine; an extension to said receiving table onto which
said stack or stacks of bags for visual inspection are moved; a
separator that moves said stack or stacks of bags from said
receiving table onto said table extension; a drawer for which said
visually examined bags are placed for movement onto a machine for
forming packs or bundles of bags; a mechanical device for moving
said bags onto a machine for forming packs or bundles of bags.
22. The machine of claim 21 wherein said mechanical device
comprises a robotic arm.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a method and machine for visual
inspection of bags for quality control, in particular, providing a
way to inspect pinch bottom bags and flat bottom bags continuously
exiting a production line, without the need to stop or delay the
production or movement of the bags.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The prior art teaches various methods and machines for
forming pinch bottom and flat bottom bags and for forming bundles
of the bags.
[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 9,663,320 relates to a method for forming
packs of flat bags, a continuous line of bags moving in an oriented
direction of advance. The bags are moved onto a receiving table on
which the bags are stacked while being stopped from moving in the
oriented direction of advance by an abutment. The continuous line
of bags is converted into a line of overlapped bags before stacking
the latter, and the bags are separated on the receiving table by a
separating means comprising a separating device. During this
operation, a separating device is inserted by a movement in the
separating direction perpendicular to the plane of the bags between
a preceding bag and a following bag in the overlapped line in such
a way that, when the following bag stops against the abutment, it
is supported at least partially by the separating means.
[0004] US patent publication 20150141228 relates to a machine for
manufacturing flat bottom bags. The machine includes a drum for
carrying at least one blank having a flattened tubular shape in an
advancing direction, a scoring apparatus upstream of the drum for
marking on the blank a folding line which is transverse with
respect to the advancing direction, a front gripper on the drum
that grips a front edge of the blank on the drum and carries the
blank, and a first lateral gripping means on the drum that grips
the lateral edges of the blank in the region of the first folding
line.
[0005] US patent publication 20090110534 relates to a bag supply
apparatus for supplying bags onto a conveyor for transporting a bag
bundle. The bag bundle is stacked such that an upper level bag is
shifted forward. The apparatus includes a bag lifting device, which
is provided with a pair of bag support members disposed facing one
another on the left and right sides near the rear edge of a belt
conveyor. The apparatus further includes a rotation mechanism,
which imparts translational motion of rotation in symmetric in a
vertical plane with respect to the conveyance direction of the belt
conveyor. The bag supporting portions of the bag support members
contact the bag bundle from below to lift up the rear edge portion
of the bag bundle and then separate from the bag bundle outwardly.
While the bag supporting portions lift the bag bundle, a new bag is
fed into the space between the conveyance surface of the belt
conveyor and the bag bundle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention relates to a machine and method of
offline, quality control inspection of a single stack or multiple
stacks of bags from a bag production line, followed by a machine
and method of returning the single stack or multiple stacks of bags
to the production line. It is an object of the present invention
for the visual inspection to occur without interrupting or having
to stop the handling or packing of the bags.
[0007] A pinch bottom bag is made of a flexible material such as
paper, polyethylene film or a combination of the two. A pinch
bottom bag comprises a tubular envelope closed at one end by a
glued flap. A flat bottom bag is made of flexible material such as
paper, polyethylene film or a combination of the two. A flat bottom
bag comprises a tubular envelope closed at one end by a flat
bottom. Plastic bag manufacturing starts with a blown bubble which
is then flattened into a sheet for forming bags. Paper bag
manufacturing starts with a paper roll unwinding into a flat sheet.
These bags are produced on a bag machine wherein the flexible
material forms a rolled sheet, then forms a bead which is
flattened, cut and closed at one end. The bag machine then forms
either a single or multiple stacks of the bags. The stack or stacks
of bags leave the bag machine on a conveyor belt and are driven to
an adjoining platform (receiving table) on which the stack or
stacks of bags are placed in parallel in either horizontal or
vertical alignment. It is an object of the present invention that
from this receiving table, a mechanical device picks up and moves
each stack of bags to a separate machine where several stacks of
bags are wrapped together to form packs or bundles. It is an object
of the present invention for the device to comprise a robotic
arm.
[0008] To ensure that the bags meet quality control standards, a
sample quantity of bags is removed from the bag machine's receiving
table and visually inspected. If found to not meet quality
standards, the bags are removed from the sample and scrapped.
Disposal of inspected bags that meet quality requirements can be
costly.
[0009] Therefore, bags that have passed quality control inspection
are returned for inclusion in the packing or bundling
operation.
[0010] It is an object of the present invention to provide a method
to remove a single stack or multiple stacks of bags from the
receiving table for inspection and return the stack or stacks of
bags into the bag packing or bundling line without interrupting the
arrival of subsequent stacks of bags on the receiving table
[0011] The present invention relates to a method to remove a single
stack or multiple stacks of bags for inspection where the stack or
stacks of bags is diverted from the receiving table on which the
stack or stacks of bags is received from a bag machine and the
stack or stacks of bags is returned to a staging area so that the
bags are subsequently moved to a packing or bundling machine. It is
an object of the present invention for the method to comprise
receiving a stack or multiple stacks of bags from the bag machine
with the bags in the stack in a horizontal orientation (laying on
broad side). It is an object of the present invention for the
method to comprise receiving a stack or multiple stacks of bags
from the bag machine with the bags in the stack in a vertical
orientation (laying on edge).
[0012] It is an object of the present invention for the method to
comprise a bag machine diverting a single stack or multiple stacks
of bags from a receiving table onto an adjacent space, thereby
allowing for additional stacks of bags to be received in the
resulting vacancy on the receiving table. It is an object of the
present invention for the method to comprise a separating means for
diverting the single stack or multiple stacks of bags from the
receiving table onto an adjacent space. It is an object of the
present invention for the method to comprise a separating device
moving in a horizontal or vertical orientation. It is an object of
the present invention for the method to comprise the separating
device moving from the far side of the receiving table and pushing
a single stack or multiple stacks of bags horizontally from the
receiving table onto an adjacent space on the receiving table. It
is an object of the present invention for the separating device to
comprise one or more protrusions.
[0013] It is an object of the present invention for the method to
comprise creating a vacancy on the receiving table when the
separating device moves the single stack or multiple stacks of bags
onto the adjacent space, thereby eliminating the need to slow down
or temporarily stop the bag production process or the receipt of
subsequent stacks of bags on the receiving table.
[0014] It is an object of the present invention for the method to
comprise removing a single stack or multiple stacks by a machine
operator. It is an object of the present invention for the method
to comprise a machine operator visually inspecting each bag for
defects. It is an object of the present invention for the method to
comprise the machine operator removing any defective bags. It is an
object of the present invention for the method to comprise the
separating device returning to its starting position once the
single stack or multiple stacks of bags have been moved to the
adjacent space.
[0015] It is an object of the present invention for the method to
comprise removing a single stack or multiple stacks by a mechanical
device. It is an object of the present invention for the method to
comprise a device having a sensor that inspects each bag in the
stack for defects. A defect can be a rip, smudge or any other
feature that makes it different from the other stacks of bags. A
defect can also be a bag with inadequate glue or paste, or a bag
that has an irregular shape. It is an object of the present
invention for the method to comprise a device for removing any
defective bags.
[0016] It is an object of the present invention for the method to
comprise the returning of inspected bags to an area above, adjacent
or below the receiving table (staging area). It is an object of the
present invention for the staging area to comprise a drawer that
opens and closes. It is an object of the present invention for the
method to comprise an operator or device that opens the drawer and
places bags within the drawer. It is an object of the present
invention for the method to comprise the operator or a device that
closes the drawer thereby returning the drawer to its initial
position in the staging area above, adjacent or below the receiving
table. It is an object of the present invention for the holding
areas in the drawers to be adjustable to hold different size
bags.
[0017] It is an object of the present invention for the method to
comprise using a mechanical device to pick up bags from the drawer
and move the bags into the holding area to the packing or bundling
machine. It is an object of the present invention for the device to
be a robotic arm. It is an object of the present invention for the
method to comprise using a robotic arm for the movement of bags
from the drawer to the holding area so as to not interrupt the
regular movement of bags onto and from the receiving table. It is
an object of the present invention to advance a predetermined
number of bags from the holding area to the bundler. It is an
object of the present invention to advance via a robotic arm a
predetermined number of bags from the holding area to the bundler.
It is an object of the present invention for the bundler to wrap
the predetermined number of bags in a wrapping material such as
polyethylene or paper. It is an object of the present invention to
advance the wrapped bundle of bags by a conveyor belt to an area
for final packaging.
[0018] It is an object of the present invention for the method and
machinery to also be used on other stacked items such as a stack of
paper.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is a side view of the area and machinery in a standby
state for inspection of bags.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a side view of the area and machinery for
inspection of bags with stacks of bags received from the bag
machine conveyor.
[0021] FIG. 3 is a side view of the area and machinery for
inspection of bags with stacks of bags moved to receiving table by
a representative set of protrusions in the receiving table for
moving bags in a horizontal manner (separating device)
[0022] FIG. 4 is a side view of the area and machinery for
inspection of bags with stacks of bags moved to receiving table
with the separating device returned to the standby location.
[0023] FIG. 5 is a side view of the area and machinery for
inspection of bags with stacks of bags received from the bag
machine conveyor.
[0024] FIG. 6 is a side view of the area and machinery for
inspection of bags with stacks of bags moved to receiving table by
a representative set of protrusions in the receiving table for
moving bags in a horizontal manner (separating device)
[0025] FIG. 7 is a top view of the open drawer in a horizontal
position without bags in the staging located above the receiving
area.
[0026] FIG. 8 is a top view of the open drawer in a horizontal
position with inspected bags in the staging area located above the
receiving table.
[0027] FIG. 9 is side view of robotic arm with stacks of bags
coming from a drawer.
[0028] FIG. 10 is a side view of the of the area and machinery for
bundling/packing bags.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0029] FIG. 1 shows quality control inspection area 10 with stacks
of bags 30 (not shown) in vertical orientation received from
conveyor 14 of a bag machine; separating device 16 in its starting
position; robotic arm 12 for moving stacks of bags 30; receiving
table 18; and drawer 20 for holding stacks of bags 30 to be moved
to bundler (not shown).
[0030] FIG. 2 shows quality control inspection area 10 with stacks
of bags 30 in horizontal orientation received from the conveyor 14
of the bag machine; separating device 16 in its starting position;
robotic arm 12 for moving stacks of bags 30; receiving table 18;
and drawer 20 for holding stacks of bags 30 to be moved to bundler
(not shown).
[0031] FIG. 3 shows quality control inspection area 10 with stacks
of bags 30 in horizontal orientation on receiving table 18;
separating device 16 on its way back to its starting position after
being advanced to push stacks of bags 30 onto receiving table 18;
robotic arm 12 for moving stacks of bags 30, receiving table 18;
and drawer 20 for holding stacks of bags 30 to be moved to bundler
(not pictured).
[0032] FIG. 4 shows quality control inspection area 10 with stacks
of bags 30 in horizontal orientation on receiving table 18;
separating device 16 in starting position after being advanced to
push stacks of bags 30 onto receiving table 18; robotic arm 12 for
moving stacks of bags 30, receiving table 18; and drawer 20 for
holding stacks of bags 30 to be moved to bundler (not
pictured).
[0033] FIG. 5 shows quality control inspection area 10 with stacks
of bags 30 in vertical orientation on receiving table 18;
separating device 16 on its way back to its starting position after
being advanced to push stacks of bags 30 onto receiving table 18;
robotic arm 12 for moving stacks of bags 30, receiving table 18;
and drawer 20 for holding stacks of bags 30 to be moved to bundler
(not pictured).
[0034] FIG. 6 shows quality control inspection area 10 with stacks
of bags 30 in vertical orientation on receiving table 18;
separating device 16 in starting position after being advanced to
push stacks of bags 30 onto receiving table 18; robotic arm 12 for
moving stacks of bags 30, receiving table 18; and drawer 20 for
holding stacks of bags 30 to be moved to bundler (not
pictured).
[0035] FIG. 7 shows drawer 20 for holding bags to be moved to the
bundler in the open position. Stacks of bags are placed in one or
both of the holding areas 200 and 210 within the drawer. Holding
areas 200 and 210 can be adjusted for length and width to
accommodate different size bags (not shown).
[0036] FIG. 8 shows drawer 20 for holding bags 30 to be moved to
the bundler in the open position. Stacks of bags 30 are placed in
one or both of the holding areas 200 and 210 within the drawer.
Once holding area is full, drawer 20 is closed and robotic arm 12
(not pictured) picks up stacks of bags 30 from each holding area
200 and 210 and moves bags 30 to bundler (not shown). Holding areas
200 and 210 can be adjusted for length and width to accommodate
different size bags (not shown).
[0037] FIG. 9 shows a detailed view of robotic arm 12 used for
moving stacks of bags 30 from drawer 20.
[0038] FIG. 10 shows packing/bundling area 40 with stacks of bags
30 received from the robotic arm (not pictured) in a holding area
41. A stack of bags 42 is comprised of a predetermined number of
bags 30 that is advanced from the holding area 41 wherein it is
wrapped by a material 43, such as paper or polyethylene to form
bundles of bags 44. Bundles of bags 44 are advanced by a conveyor
belt 45 to be packaged.
* * * * *